Boris Kuester von Jurgens-Ratenicz
Boris Kuester von Jurgens-Ratenicz is a mysterious German nobleman with a large estate in the Hamptons (filmed at Long Island's Oheka Castle). In the series' pilot, Hank saves the life of April, a guest at Boris's party and Boris rewards Hank with a bar of solid gold, a job as concierge doctor, and use of his guest house. He has apparently referred several of Hank's patients to him and admits to "having plans" for Hank. Boris is extremely secretive, having moved to the Hamptons specifically to stay out of the public eye. Boris sometimes uses his money to bend and break rules. He owns a shark which was being used in a medical experiment and injures one of the scientists in one episode. Hank states after a physical examination that Boris is in almost perfect physical health, yet Hank knows that something is wrong. It is later discovered that Boris has a genetic disease that has affected, at least, the past three generations of his family. The condition causes a lack of muscle control, degenerating brain function, and death around the age of 44. Boris is somewhat cavalier about experimentation to cure his disease; this has led to unintended side effects such as muscle spasms and temporary blindness from not heeding Hank's advice. In season two, Boris agrees to let Hank "quarterback" a cooperative effort between all of Boris's former doctors and researchers. Hank's first point of contact is for Dr. Marisa Casseras in Cuba, which is fortunate for Boris as they were former lovers. In "Medusa" they fly to Cuba to consult her; having diagnosed the condition ("a rare hereditary mutation in the ninth chromosome of the VCP gene" that turns muscles to jelly and bones to "breadsticks" after dementia sets in), she allows for Boris to enter a clinical trial on the condition that he has a thorough medical evaluation first. While Hank suggests further research to confirm its success and validity, Boris begins treatment the next day. During a code blue where Boris crashes and needs to reboot, which loses the data for the trial but keeps him alive. He later decides to stay for an extended period to reconnect to Marisa, and he announces his news that Marisa will be defecting upon his return in "Whole Lotto Love". However, by the end episode it seems that she was arrested and detained, leaving a distressed, helpless Boris. At one point, Jill drops Boris's name in an attempt to levy her way out of dealing with the hospital board. The stratagem works, but at the cost of losing Boris as a donor, as his privacy as an anonymous donor was violated. He is seen in the half-season finale flying out in a helicopter, despite his weakness, and retrieving Marisa from custody by unknown means. Also as a precaution against Eddie, he begins an investigation into the Lawsons to determine their implicitness in Eddie's role as a confidential informant, using his aide Catherine (Rena Sofer) posing as a patient. His findings are revealed to the family, which resulted in Eddie's heart attack. When it seems certain that Eddie will be convicted and sentenced to prison, he offers to have Eddie spirited out of the country and beyond extradition, but he makes it clear to Eddie that he is doing this for Hank and Evan's benefit because he believes that the brothers will be better off without Eddie in their lives. When he learns that Marisa is pregnant with his child and that Hank knew but did not tell him, he evicts Hank and Evan from his summer house. However, realizing his rashness and accepting the strength of Hank's ethics, he asks Hank to come back in season three and HankMed moves back into the summer house. In episode eight of season three, Hank discovers that Boris was poisoned with Thallium, which caused, among other things, muscle spasms. The diagnosis was made on the basis of Boris' blood causing Hank's bare hand to tingle. The poison was found in the swimming pool, and Dieter was nowhere to be found. They discuss the possibility that Boris's family inheritance of illness may have been the result of "family politics." Things become more complicated when a member of Boris's family comes for a visit, bringing hopes of reconciliation. Boris is involved with Dimitri in a secret, multinational operation in Season 4. In the episode Off-Season's Greetings, it is hinted that he faked his own death in an explosion at Shadow Pond. It is hinted at the end of Season 8, in the scene on the beach where Hank declines his offer, that Boris may actually be Russian royalty. Languages: Boris at least speaks French, Spanish, German, English, Hebrew, Hungarian, and Chinese as well as some Russian. Category:Characters